Scholarships Given In Honor Of Georgians Killed In Action

CUMMING, GA — Cumming Chapter 1030 of the Vietnam Veterans of America awarded five $2,000 college scholarships at its June 1 meeting.

Each scholarship was awarded in memory of a Georgian killed in action in the Vietnam War.

The scholarship recipients are:

• Christopher Kelly of West Forsyth High School. His scholarship was awarded to honor Marine Corps Private First Class Larry Michael Allen of Decatur.
• Benjamin Hempker of South Forsyth High School. His scholarship honors the memory of Air Force Captain Hilliard Wilbanks of Cornelia, Georgia. Wilbanks was the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor.
• Emily Leggett of North Forsyth High School. Her scholarship was awarded in memory of Navy Second Lt. John Luther Fuller of Atlanta.
• Isabella Rose Lafferty of Denmark High School. Her scholarship was presented to honor the memory of Army Staff Sgt. Robert Lee Mosley of Atlanta.
• Shelby Mauldin of Denmark high School. Her scholarship honors the memory of Army Specialist Fourth Class Robert Paul Gipson of Athens.

This year marks the sixth annual scholarship award program for the organization and to date, its largest scholarship award at $2,000 each.

“We congratulate these young men and women on their selection for the scholarships," Chapter President Gary Goyette said. "We do this to help ensure that the service of our comrades from the Vietnam War who made the ultimate sacrifice are not forgotten and that their bravery will be remembered by the students receiving the 2021 scholarships.”

The Chapter 1030 scholarships are awarded based upon scholastic excellence, community service, school activities and an essay about why “Freedom isn’t Free.”

In addition to a check, each scholarship recipient receives a certificate with a photo of the serviceman for whom the scholarship is named.

The chapter was able to locate the families of three of the individuals remembered with the 2021 scholarships. Families of Hilliard, Mosley and Allen were in attendance for the ceremony. Some traveling from as far as Maryland to be present as the heroism of their relative was remembered.